Easy Homemade Carob "chocolate" (Sugar/Dairy-Free)

This recipe is great for those who can't eat chocolate (or cocoa) and those who like carob! No need to add sugar - carob is naturally sweet. If you want to be creative you could create carob "chocolates", dip strawberries, make edible lace, or paint the mixture into plastic moulds to make easter eggs. The catch? Once set you'll have to eat this carob quickly - coconut oil melts at warmer temperatures (mine was liquid during the steamy Sydney summer). This recipe works best if your coconut oil is firm (not liquefied) when stored at room temperature. Once set, keep your carob "chocolate" creation in the fridge until it's ready to be consumed. From the sister-team at sketch-free vegan eating (http://sketch-freeveganeating.blogspot.com).

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 1 block (wafer thin)

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup carob powder (roasted, not raw)
• 1⁄2 cup coconut oil, melted

Directions

1. Sift carob powder into a medium bowl.
2. (To 'melt' coconut oil, place sealed jar in a metal/glass bowl partially filled with boiling water for 10-15 minutes).
3. Slowly stir in melted coconut oil, taking care to break up any lumps as you mix ingredients together.
4. Spread mixture thinly on a flat surface lined with foil or parchment (I used foil) and allow to cool in fridge. Alternatively, you can drizzle into shapes or set the mixture in chocolate moulds. (For a faster result, put in freezer for 15 minutes).
5. Once set, chop or break carob block into smaller pieces.
6. Store in a fridge or a cool place until ready to use.
7. Note: Cooking time is time allowed for mixture to set in fridge. I read one suggestion that these could be used as chips in baked goods (e.g. cookies) but I'm a little sceptical and think this might require some experimentation. Try waiting until baked goods have cooled so that the chips harden up again?